Ah, back to this wonderful show. Breaking the Ice is the eighth episode of the first season. The two concurrent plot lines include T'Pol's marriage conflict and the ship's crew exploring a frozen comet. There's a Vulcan ship in there, too.
The episode begins with the aforementioned comet, and the crew discovering that it contains a rare element that even the Vulcans don't know much about. While Reed and Mayweather go prospecting, the Vulcan ship Ti'Mur under Captain Vanek shows up to 'observe' things. Archer, not being an idiot, knows the Vulcans are there to keep an eye on Enterprise, not comets. But he acts polite and even invites Vanek to dinner aboard the Enterprise.
Trip intercepts a secret message to T'Pol from the Ti'Mur and gets Hoshi to decode it for him, thinking that it's Vulcan spy stuff. It turns out that it's a very personal message involving T'Pol's upcoming nuptials. He confesses to T'Pol that he read the letter, which manages to make her seem a bit emotional (as in, really ticked off at him). But when she goes to Phlox to complain about trouble sleeping, he suggests she find someone she can confide in regarding whatever is keeping her up. She talks to Trip, since he is the only one aboard who knows what her issue is. His advice to do what she wants to do doesn't seem satisfactory, although he does point out that she's the one who asked him for advice, and that just asking shows that she doesn't feel comfortable with this particular Vulcan tradition.
Meanwhile, Archer hosts that dinner with Vanek, which goes about as well as expected. Fed up with Vanek's standoffish attitude, he accuses the Vulcan of spying on Enterprise and walks out of the dining room. Meanwhile, Reed and Mayweather get into some trouble on the comet, and the Enterprise isn't able to rescue them. The Ti'Mur offers to use their tractor beam (Enterprise still only has a grappling hook) to rescue the shuttlepod, and Archer finally bends enough to accept the help and save his crew.
In the end, T'Pol refuses to return to Vulcan and chooses to remain aboard Enterprise. Good on her. The Vulcans leave without her, and the Enterprise resumes its course.
So, what do I like about this episode? It's the first time we see T'Pol really interacting with a crew member in a meaningful, non-business way. And she doesn't know what to do, which is a definite rarity. Like Spock in the original series, T'Pol is the series' rock, the anchor that keeps everyone else grounded. Archer is the captain, but T'Pol is the vital crew member that always has the answers, always has the crew's backs, and has the confidence to step up when needed. Here, we see her vulnerable and uncertain for the first time. She has to confide in Trip, who she really doesn't like much, because otherwise she'd have to reveal her secret to yet another human. It's a great scene, easily the best of the episode and one of the best of the series so far.
What else? The science is typical Star Trek, made-up stuff that sounds neat and 'science-y'. But once again we see the limitations inherent in the humans' first foray into interstellar space as the ship is unable to rescue their stranded crew with the equipment they have on hand. Without the Vulcan ship and their tractor beam, the Enterprise would have lost two bridge officers. Not a good situation.
And, of course, the episode title has a double meaning, as Archer has to deal with a purported ally in Vanek, a man he doesn't much like and who doesn't seem to hold him in high regard either. Vanek's superior snobbery is evident despite his lack of emotion, and Archer's barely-concealed anger keeps the tension running. He does try to 'break the ice' with the dinner invite, which is a nice gesture, but Vanek doesn't even try to meet him halfway.
So, what do I think of this episode? It's not the best, but it's a good episode with some great acting from Jolene Blalock as she portrays T'Pol's uncertainty. I'd give it a 7 out of 10.
To catch a glimpse of my own idea of Earth-based space opera, check out my first science fiction book, Bard Conley's Adventures Across the Solar System, available right now in ebook for only $0.99 US and in paperback. It's a fun romp with lots and lots of action, so give it a look!
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